CRY
by xox Steph xox
Summary: Set after SOS Jate Based on the theory that there will be a War with the others. ONE SHOT includes a video PLEASE READ :


**Title: **Cry  
**Pairing:** Jack & Kate  
**Status:** completed one-shot  
**Disclaimer:** I do not own Lost or ABC or any of the characters / plotlines  
**Summary: **Set directly after SOS and based on the spoiler of a war - just my take on what could happen ...

it's the saddest thing ive wrote, and i hope it never happens but ...

**CRY**

Kate heaved Michael's arm around her shoulder, making it so that both Jack and herself could carry him back to the hatch. His head lolled onto Jacks shoulder and they tore their way through the jungle, almost ignoring each other. Kate was still in shock, not only over the return of Michael, whom looked as though he'd been in a battle with the monster on the island, and from her previous conversation with Jack. Her mind was still reeling from his reaction to her bringing up the kiss. The kiss, she sighed. After Jack had asked her to come along with him to propose a trade with the others, she had felt as though a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. He had made the first step, just when she was about to give up, Jack had come to her. Asked her for her help. Needed her. Becoming trapped in the net, had ignited the spark for him she had felt before she had been kidnapped. Before they had grown apart. Every time jacks strong arms brushed her skin she had felt a shiver up her spine, a shiver which excited her.

Michael breathed out heavily, causing both Kate and Jack to look towards him, stopping in their tracks. When he made no further movements, Jack simply stared forward and began to move again. She desperately wanted to catch his eye, to see him, talk to him ... . Sitting around the log fire earlier seemed like hours ago, when it was merely a few minutes. Adjusting her arm around Michael, creating more support, she repeated the words Jack had told her, in her head "Im not". He wasn't sorry. She hadn't screwed everything up by kissing him, he didn't regret it. That was the thought which kept the butterflies in her stomach fluttering. The thought which made her feel an emotion she hadn't felt since Tom had been ... . She looked over at Jack, not bearing to take the tension any longer she muttered:  
"Is he ok?"  
Jack seemed to have to bring himself out of his own thoughts to answer her, still not looking at her.  
"I don't know" He began "His breathings shallow, and he's injured but i ..." He stopped, exasperated.  
"Do you think they sent him instead of Walt?"  
"I don't know Kate" Jack breathed  
"Will they want him..."  
"I don't know Kate" Jack snapped, finally looking at her, face full of rage, only, the second their eyes connected, staring straight into his soul, the rage disappeared and they were alone in their world together, and for a moment Michael didn't matter, they were alone on the island.  
"Sorry" He said, pulling himself away from her gaze.  
"It's ok" she muttered, feeling her cheeks burn with her blush. She sometimes hated that he made her feel vulnerable, something which she had always tried to over-come. Yet with Jack, it didn't always seem like a negative thing. With Jack, being vulnerable was just an excuse for him to wrap his arms around her, and she wouldn't complain there.

When they finally reached the hatch, Michael had started to come round, muttering the occasional word and trying to explain things to Jack.  
"Shh" Jack told him "We need to make sure your ok first, then you can tell us everything".  
Locke was waiting in the hatch, by the computer.  
"Where's Sayid?" Kate asked, dragging Michael helplessly to the bunk bed.  
"He's ... in the ... in the shower, Kate is he ..." Locke asked, limping forward to see closer.  
"He'll be fine, he just needs some bandages and antibiotics, Kate i need you to get me my medicine bag it's in the..."  
"I know where it is" She said, charging towards the kitchen where she had seen Jack lay down his bag before setting off on their walk.

Jack looked down on Michaels face, barely conscious, he needed treating before he lost anymore blood or his injuries became infected.  
"Mike... mike, i need you to tell me if your head hurts... if you feel sick" Jack asked, taking his bag from Kate, trying to ignore the sensation he got when their hands connected, needing to concentrate on Michael. As she moved towards him though, he couldn't help but feel his heart beat faster. Watching her as the moonlight caught her face. He wanted to hold her, kiss her, the same feelings he had felt around the fire before Michael had turned up. She caught him looking at her and returned the smile, captivating him in her face. Michael's sharp intake of breath brought him back to reality and what he must to do.

Kate watched from the corner of the room as Jack healed Michael, trying at the same time to re-tell the story of their treck to Locke, Sayid, Hurley and Ana-Lucia.  
"So you waited for them to come out?" Sayid asked.  
"We waited, it grew dark, and then Michael just appeared out of the bushes." Kate replied  
"And he didn't say anything?" Ana-Lucia asked, eyeing Michael who had finally sat up.  
"No, he collapsed as soon as he came out into the open"

"How are you feeling?" Jack asked Michael handing him a tablet.  
"Like hell" he replied swallowing the capsule without hesitation.  
"You look like it too" Jack replied smiling slightly "You wanna explain?"  
Kate walked over to the boys, kneeling next to Jack, feeling his warmth next to her.  
"We are gonna get my boy back - we can take them" Michael replied  
"How many of them are there?" Kate asked softly  
"They're barely armed" Michael stated avoiding the question "We can take them".

The cool breeze enveloped his entire body and the darkness calmed him. Stepping outside of the hatch had given him the break he needed whilst Michael re-told his story to the others. He had eventually told Jack what he had been doing all of these weeks he had disappeared. How he had trailed after the others for weeks on end, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of Walt. Eventually catching up with them, only to be knocked unconscious, and "disposed" of. The wind travelled through the trees, creating a whirlwind of leaves at his feet. A warm hand touched his shoulder, making his heart beat faster, turning around he saw her silhouette in the moonlight.  
"Hey" Kate whispered "You shouldn't be on your own"  
"You're protecting me?" He asked laughing gently  
"You don't think i can?" she replied smiling.  
"Kate" he began "im ..."  
"A doctor, i know, and you've saved Michael, you've saved all of us, especially me"  
The wind whistled around them and Kate saw Jack look down. Brewing up her courage once more she attempted to sort things out.  
"Jack, about earlier i ..."  
"I still mean what i said Kate" He looked up to face her. "But Michael wants to go after the others, he reckons we can take them, and they're going to be expecting us..."  
"I still got your back Jack - i want to help"  
"I know Kate, and i need to know that you'll be by my side for when we face them"  
Kate stepped closer, the reflection of the moon shining onto his face.  
"I'll be by your side Jack"  
He desperately wanted to kiss her. She was looking up at him, and he could see in her eyes the lust shining back at him. He loved how they were now, relaxed and connected. He didn't want to spoil that. Placing his hand on the small of her back, he pulled her close to embrace her.  
Kate could feel herself against his chest and his arms wrapped around her. She felt safe. "But i don't want to feel safe" she told herself. She was caught up in the moment, and she didn't want him to protect her, she wanted him to want her. It was then, his breathing rising with hers, she knew then that she had made her choice. Sawyer could flirt with her as much as she wanted, and she'd admit it was fun, she found him attractive. Only Sawyer never made her feel safe and excited at the same time. Jack was everything to her, she'd never felt this way with anyone including Tom. The feeling of knowing that you were the only one in the world who mattered to them. Lifting her head of his chest she placed her lips on his before she could change her mind.

Jack felt the spark as Kate kissed him. Not wanting to make the same mistake again, he kissed her back, pulling them closer together. He loved her. There was no other explanation. Why his heart pumped harder every time she was near, why his heart had ached when they were apart. Kate placed her hand on the back of Jacks neck, kissing him more passionately then she would've dared if he hadn't kissed her back, stopping only to look into his eyes.  
"I'll always be by your side Jack"  
He pushed his lips back onto hers, kissing her more fiercely than before. Wanting to feel their mouths connected as one. Kate ran her hand through his hair and  
breathed heavily. Breaking apart she rested her forehead on Jacks, hearing his breathing as heavy as hers.  
"Kate ... The others...if we go against them...i don't want to loose you"  
"You wont" She replied sharply "Not a chance".

The sunlight burned into the hatch and Kate walked in, fully expecting to have to explain to Locke whilst she was there. She wasn't on shift and Locke didn't know that she was going against the Others with Jack, Michael, Sayid and Sawyer. Yet she was pleasantly surprised to see Jack asleep on the couch and Locke no-where to be seen. Slowly she crept up on Jack and kissed him gently on the cheek. He stirred and opened his eyes.  
"Hey" he smiled  
"Hey, you ready to fight?" she smiled back  
"Kate ... i was thinking" He sat up and held her hands in his "You don't have to ... to be with me, if you..."  
she placed her finger on his lips.  
"Stop there jack. Don't you get it ? I've always ran. Since i was a kid, I'd run from things, from people. You are the first person Ive wanted to run towards instead of away from. Besides Jack, you need me" she giggled.  
Jack didn't laugh. he pulled her close and whispered to her  
"I do need you Kate. I care about you so damn much"  
"Well, what do we have here?" the southern tone echoed through the hatch.  
Kate pulled away from Jack and rose to her feet. Staring at Sawyer standing in the doorway.  
"What do you want Sawyer?" she asked.  
"See you got in there Doc?" a slightly hurt look spread across his face.  
"Sawyer you got the guns?" Jack asked staring intently at the blonde in the room.  
Kate walked into the kitchen, wanting to leave the boys to their power struggle alone. She smiled slightly at Jack before leaving.  
"I got the guns Doc"

Jack shifted his backpack onto his shoulders and followed Michael and Sayid further into the jungle. He was comforted knowing that Kate was by his side, but the sinking feeling in his stomach was starting to take over. No matter how many times Michael tried to convince him that they had the upper hand, jack couldn't help but feel that they were walking into something bigger than they knew.  
"So we call them out and what ? Just shoot at them" Sawyer asked trailing behind.  
"no" Sayid replied not looking at him "we call them out, ask for Walt back, if they refuse, we shoot".  
"Aint that what I just said?" Sawyer asked  
"you missed out my boy" Michael replied sharply.

As they carried on walking, the cool air smacked them across their faces as the rain poured down. Edging further towards the spot where they had tried to get in touch with the Others before, they slowed down. Kate cast a glance at jack, who reached for her hand and squeezed it.  
"You ok?" She asked him out loud  
"No I don't think he is" A voice came from behind them.  
The group looked round, weapons at the ready, to see a shaven Zeke standing behind them.  
"See now, there's something not quite right here. I tell you, not to cross this line. So you jack, and your girlfriend there, come out once already, but we ignored you. Gave you the chance to turn around, hell, we gave you him" casting a look at Michael "now? Now you're just starting to piss me off"  
"You give me my boy back now" Michael said walking towards him with his rifle pointing at him.  
"Mike, calm down" Sawyer hissed  
"Hell I wont, they've got my boy"  
"Walt's fine. He's better off with us. Accept that and go back".  
Without warning, a bullet pierced the air straight into Zekes chest. Michael lowered his gun and watched as Zeke fell to the floor, blood seeping from his chest. Anger shone in Michaels face, so like nothing Kate had ever seen before. Pure hatred.  
"Are you crazy" Jack asked pinning him up against a tree "That was not the plan, we we're gonna be calm and …"  
A second shot echoed into the air, louder than the first, and more piercing than before. Kate looked to Jack and Michael. Not daring to take her eyes off. She watched as Jack began to sink to the floor, clutching his chest.  
"Jack" She screamed, dropping her gun and running to catch him. Through the corner of her eye she saw Michael run to where Zeke had appeared from and Sawyer and Sayid tearing after him.  
"Jack" she screamed once again. Her heart rising into her throat, beating through her chest faster than she had thought possible. "Jack… your not …. Jack". Hot, stinging tears rolled down her cheeks, burning her skin. She held him in her arms, trying to wrap her shirt around his wound to stop the bleeding. Her hands shaking with every move.  
"Kate…." He muttered  
"No, don't talk … It's ok, we'll get you back, I'll …… I can help, I'll get Sun, we can fix you Jack"  
"Kate…. Im…im dying" his hoarse voice broke through  
"NO!" she yelled, sobbing into his chest. Tears flowing into his wound as she held onto him, pressurising the bullet hole.  
"I'll… never…. Back … in time" He spluttered. His arms beginning to shake as he lost more and more blood.  
Kate held onto him, she could feel him slipping away and she thought she'd die of the agony of the heart-ache.  
"You can not leave me Jack, im by your side, I need you by mine!" Catching her tears in her throat "I've … I've got your back…."  
"Kate …. I ….. love you" he started coughing as the blood began to rise in his throat  
"Don't Jack – we've got time … you ….. I love you too jack – ok, so you cant …. Your not allowed to …"  
"im …. It's …. Cold" Jack whispered. She held onto him, cradling him like a baby. Her heart pounding in her chest so hard. Her tears we're muffled in his hair as she kissed him on his forehead, kissed his cheek. As she kissed his lips she felt the icyness brush against hers.  
"Jack!" She spoke.  
Jack's eyes had closed. She grasped his hand, kissing the back and then lay her head on his chest as she wept into the night.

She wanted to run towards him… But he was no longer there, and hewouldn't be coming back. What she would give to be with him … to be with Jack.


End file.
